Who Drained the Pool?

Tuesday 4/12/11   With our mission complete at Jekyll Island we decided to continue our journey. Only problem was the forecasted thunderstorms that were to move through in the morning. After waiting for the rain it finally came but not with the severity of the forecast so at 10:30am we said so long to Jekyll. It didn't take long to realize how much the tide had dropped. This area has a tidal range of 7' to 9' and we were on the low part of the shift. At one point shortly after leaving the marina we registered only 3' under the keel of Tourist which meant about 5' total depth. Tourist draws just over 4'. Needless to say we were stirring up the bottom.

Who drained the pool?

It was shortly after transiting the shallows that the rain we had been waiting for set in. Fortunately it was minus the thunder and wind originally predicted, and so we continued. Somewhere along the way we picked up these hitchhikers in the short video below who followed us for a few miles. Turn up the volume.

Of course one got too close and pooped on our dinghy outboard!

The rain didn't last long and by afternoon the sun was back out but with cooler temps. It wasn't long before we pulled into our anchorage for the night just off the channel in New Teakettle Creek.

New Teakettle Creek anchorage.

That night the temps dropped into the 50's for the first time in a long time making sleeping very comfortable. Wednesday came and we slid out at around 8am. Cool enough that I had to wear a jacket while eating my Cheerios.

Eating breakfast. Actually not Cheerios but a "Complete Meal" prepared in the microwave.

As we approached Johnson Creek we could see what looked like a cruise ship in the distance. With the skinny water on the ICW it just didn't seem possible. I was beginning to think Pam spiked my breakfast juice! Sure enough. Our eyes weren't playing tricks on us. Winding down the channel towards us came the M/V Independence. Certainly not a cruise liner like we passed in Miami a couple years back but still bigger than I would have imagined seeing out here in the Low Country.

M/V Independence as we pass on the one whistle.

Around 12:30pm we passed through a short passage between islands known as Hell's Gate. Shallow and strong currents but not cantankerous today. Once through we were just outside the entrance to our destination. Delegal Creek Marina on Skidaway Island. Being in VHF range I called them on the radio for entrance instructions since it looked a little confusing on the charts and we were just coming off low tide. I was told the channel was marked but that we should wait about an hour for the tide to raise since there was a low spot midway in. So we dropped the hook across the marsh from the marina and waited.

Delegal Creek Marina across the marsh.

Delegal Creek Marina as we entered.

The marina is small and not a normal stopping point for the migrating boats transiting the ICW. None the less it is in a very quiet setting on Skidaway Island and part of the Landings resort development which was started by the Brannigar organization which is the same company that started The Galena Territory back home some years ago.

Our reason for making this stop on our trip was to visit with a transplanted friend from Galena who now lives on Skidaway. Faye and her husband Dave showed up a couple hours after we checked in to the marina bearing the gift of food. Would you believe a whole meal of fabulous food! We visited for awhile and even had a visit from her son Matt and his son Cash. Shortly after the boys left one of us got hungry (I wonder who?) and we all sat down to dinner on Tourist compliments of Dave & Faye. It was good right down to the last shrimp. It was a great evening of catching up on what's been going on in our lives for the past years. All too soon it was time to hit the sack but not before plans were made for the next day.

Thursday morning our hosts picked us up at 9am and whisked us off to their home for breakfast. Once again delicious! Following that we went for a bike ride around part of the island which Pam liked immensely since there are no hills like back home to peddle up. The bike paths wind around the golf courses and the homes on Skidaway Island making for a very pleasant ride. While passing one of the golf holes we noticed a gator sunning himself in a sand trap behind the green while two ladies were putting.

Don't hit it long!

Bike ride completed we headed into Savannah for a little touring along the waterfront and around the many squares before heading out to Tybee Island for a walk on the beach.

Pam, Dave, & Faye at Tybee Island.

While driving from the beach we noticed the sign below indicating how high the storm surge would be in the different category hurricanes.

I'm long gone if a hurricane comes!

Before leaving Tybee we stopped for an early dinner at Stingray's restaurant for grouper & scallops. Nothing fancy but oh so good!

The crew at Stingray's.

Back to Tourist for an after dinner drink before saying so long to Faye & Dave. Thanks for a wonderful time and the great southern hospitality!

Friday morning came and before we left we had a surprise visit from Dave & Faye who brought sweet rolls and strawberrys to the dock. Fanatastic! I had to wake up Pam to partake of the bounty but it was worth it. She wasn't cranky at all!